Adaptive Cruise Control
Adaptive Cruise Control automatically adjusts vehicle speed to maintain the selected cruise speed and a controlled gap to traffic ahead. It is designed for normal driving, stop-and-go traffic, and stronger intervention when the closing speed becomes unsafe.
What does it do?
The system uses forward radar data to track a valid target ahead. When the road is clear, it follows the selected cruise speed. When a vehicle is detected ahead, it reduces speed to maintain the chosen time gap and keep spacing stable.
It also supports stop-and-go driving. It can slow to a full stop, hold the vehicle, and resume when traffic moves again.
How does it work?
The controller balances two main goals at the same time: target speed and following distance. It calculates a target speed from the current gap, smooths its response, and adjusts output to avoid unnecessary spikes in throttle or braking.
Target selection is filtered to stay stable. Distance, angle, elevation, and closing speed are used to choose and hold the most relevant target ahead while reducing unwanted switching.
If a target closes too quickly or the remaining time to react becomes too short, the emergency braking stage, also known as Oh Crap Brakes, increases braking force to reduce risk.
Main behavior
Active speed control
When no valid target is present, the system returns toward the selected cruise speed.
Adaptive gap control
When a target is present, speed is adjusted to maintain the selected following gap.
Stop-and-go support
The vehicle can stop fully, stay held, and move again when the path ahead opens.
Stable target tracking
The controller avoids unnecessary target changes and filters unstable radar readings.
Oh Crap Brakes
Extra braking is applied during fast closing situations or when available reaction time becomes too short.
Inputs and tuning
Current Speed
Vehicle speed input in m/s.
Seat Data
Seat passthrough and driver control input.
Radar Data
Forward radar target data used for distance tracking and target selection.
Time Gap (s)
Base following gap. Higher values increase spacing and cause earlier braking.
Custom Gap
Live gap override while driving. This replaces the normal gap input when used.
Speed PID K
Controls how strongly the system returns to the selected speed when no target is limiting it.
Speed Limiter (km/h)
Maximum selectable cruise speed.
Common behavior notes
Too close to traffic
Increase Time Gap or Custom Gap.
Too slow to recover speed
Increase Speed PID K slightly.
Too aggressive on open road
Lower Speed PID K.
Frequent hard braking
Increase the selected gap to give the controller more space to work with.
Still need help?
If setup or behavior is still unclear, contact me[discord.com] on Discord[discord.com] or leave a comment on the workshop page.
